Miner&#39;s candlestick.



No. 738,571. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

R P RASMUSSEN MINER'S OANDLBSI'IGK.

APPLICATION-FILED MAY 27. 190a.

N0 MODEL.

I witmsse Inventon UNITED STATES Fatented September 8, 1903.

PATENT Enron.

MINERS CANDLESTICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,571, datedSeptember 8, 1903. Application filed May 27, 1903' Serial llo 158,9 1%(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RAsMUs PETER RASMUS- SEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Integrahcounty of Trinity, State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Miners Candlesticks; and I hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in what are termed minerscandlesticks, or devices by which a candle may be supported from anyconvenient point near the work to lye done in underground mines.

My invention consists in a springclamp socket for holding the candlefirmly, wit-h a means for opening it and a means for suspending saidsocket from a handle, so that in whatever position the handle may beplaced the candle will always stand vertical and will burn evenly.

My invention also comprises details of construction, which will be morefully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top View. Fig. 2is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end viewwith section of handle.

Miners oandlesticks are made with a pointed spike or handle adapted tobe driven into the wall or the timbers of the mine, or it may beprovided with a hook by which it can be hung upon some projecting point.Thecandle is held in a socket which is usually affixed to this handle.

In my invention 1 have so constructed the socket that it normally graspsthe candle by its spring action, and it may be openedto move the candleup as it'burns or to remove or replace the candle by means of acam-lever acting to temporarily separate the sides and release thecandle.

The socket is suspended in gimbals within a circular ringforming a partof the handle,

so that the candle will always maintain an upright position whatever maybe the position so that the candle may be maintained at a safe distanceaway from such timbering.

3 is a ring formed in the length of the bar A, preferably near the outeror handle end, so as to be at considerable distance from the point.Within this ring is loosely swiveled a ring 4 by pins upon oppositesides, which allow it to tilt in two directions. Within this ring is thecandle holder or socket 5, having pivots at the upper end which connectit with the ring 4, said pivots standing at right angles with the pivotscarried by the ring 3, so that the two pivots form a universal joint orgimbals, which, turning easily, will maintain the candle-socketvertically whatever may be the position of the bar A. The socket 5extends a sufficient distance below the ring in which it is pivoted andmay be Weighted at the lower end to counterbalance any portion of thecandle extending above the top of the socket. This socket is in the formof an elastic tube split upon one side, as shown at 6, and one of theseopen sides is turned outwardly to form aradially-projecting plate, as at7.

Upon the other side and opposite the plate 7 is pivoted a cam-shapedlever 8, having a handle 9 of suflicient length to operate it, so thatwhen the handle 9 is pushed backwardly the cam will act against theplate, and thus open the swivel-socket sufliciently to allow a candle tobe inserted and placed at the proper point, when the lever beingreleased the clasticity of the socket will cause it to close and gripthe candle.

Whenever the candle has burned down to such a point that it needs to beraised in the socket, it is only necessary to press the lever back andloosen the grip upon the candle, and when the latter has been pushed upto the desired point by releasing the lever it will be again gripped.The weight of the socket and the lower part of the candle is sufficientto cause the socket and its swiveled ring to turn with relation to theouter ring 3, and thus maintain the candle in a vertical position. Thepointer-bar A may thus be driven into the timber or a crevice at anyangleup to about forty-five degrees, and the socket will turn, so as tomaintain a vertical position.

10 is a hook fixed to the side of the outer ring 3, and this serves tohang the candle-sup porting device upon some projection when it is notconvenient to use the pointed end of the bar A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. The combination ina miners candlestick of a pointed arm having a ringformed near its outer end, an interior concentric ring pivoted atopposite sides, a candle-holder having its upper end pivotedtransversely to the ring-pivots whereby a universal movement iseffected, said holder having an open slot at one side and a cam-leverfulcrumed on the side of the holder and normally extending below thesame, and a radial contact-piece With which one end of the lever engageswhereby the holder may be openedtoreceive the candle.

2. The combination in a miners candlestick of a pointed arm having aring near its outer end, an elastic tubular candle-holder longitudinallyslotted upon one side and normally closable to grip the candle by itsown elasticity, a plate radial outward from the lower part of one sideof the slot', and a Vertically-disposed actuating-lever fulcrumed uponthe opposite side and having a handle portion extending below the bottomof the holder said lever having its upper end cam-shaped and adapted toopen the tubular holder to receive the candle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RASMUS PETER RASMUSSEN.

WVitnesses:

W. F. ARAM, P. SLAUGH.

